Resettable Ported Collar for Selective Wellbore Zone Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for stimulating subterranean formations, such as coiled tubing and ball actuated systems, are expensive, time-consuming, and limited in their ability to effectively target multiple regions within long wellbores, making them inefficient for directing stimulant fluids to specific zones.
Innovation Solution
A ported collar with a resettable activation device that controls radial fluid communication by using a movable sleeve and a key profile system, allowing for the selective and systematic delivery of fracturing or stimulant fluids to specific zones through a tubular body, with a hydraulic power module to actuate the movement of the sleeve and key profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If coiled tubing and ball actuated systems are used to provide stimulant fluids to specific regions, then fluid delivery to targeted zones is achieved, but the system becomes expensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the wellbore into multiple discrete zones, each equipped with an independently controllable ported collar. Each collar can be selectively opened or closed to control fluid delivery to specific zones, enabling precise targeting without requiring complex ball actuation systems throughout the entire wellbore.
Solution Approach 2:
The ported collars incorporate movable sleeves that can dynamically transition between open and closed positions to control fluid flow. This dynamic control mechanism allows rapid adjustment of zone accessibility, reducing the time required to stimulate multiple zones compared to traditional ball actuated systems.
2Length of stationary object
If traditional systems are used in long wellbores, then fluid delivery is possible, but effectiveness decreases due to system limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The long wellbore is segmented into multiple zones with individual ported collars, allowing the stimulation process to be broken into manageable sections. This segmentation maintains system reliability by ensuring that fluid delivery effectiveness is preserved in each individual zone rather than degrading over the entire length of the wellbore.
Solution Approach 2:
The ported collars act as intermediary control devices between the tubular and the formation zones. They provide reliable fluid delivery control at each zone interface, ensuring effective stimulation regardless of the overall wellbore length by creating multiple reliable delivery points along the wellbore.
3Adaptability or versatility
If stimulation is directed to multiple subzones, then comprehensive formation stimulation is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple identical ported collar units, each capable of independent zone control. This segmentation allows flexible selection of which zones to stimulate by simply controlling which collars are opened, providing adaptability without requiring a single complex activation system.
Solution Approach 2:
Each ported collar is designed as a universal module that can control fluid delivery to its associated zone independently. This multi-functional design allows the same simple activation mechanism to be replicated across multiple zones, providing zone selection flexibility while avoiding the need for increasingly complex activation devices as the number of zones increases.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and selective stimulation of multiple zones within a subterranean formation by varying the open area of the ported collar, allowing for targeted fluid delivery and isolation, thereby improving the stimulation process.
Implementation Method 1
a hydraulic power module configured for actuating axial reciprocation of the traveling piston on the mandrel
Data Source
AI summary
A ported collar has a tubular body that forms part of or is installed in a tubular that is run into a wellbore, and defines a port for permitting radial fluid communication into or out of the ported collar. A sleeve is movable relative to the port to vary an open area of the port. The activation device includes a fixed key and a traveling key movable relative to the fixed key. The activation device is inserted into the tubular body of the ported collar. A fixed key profile is releasably mated with a tubular body key profile to fix the position of the activation device in the ported collar. A traveling key profile is releasably mated with a sliding sleeve key profile, and the traveling key is moved relative to the fixed key to move the sliding sleeve, and thereby vary the open area of the port.